Written by Henry D. Shannon, Ph.D., President of Chaffey College  --                         

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be alive and well two years after the virus first arrived in the United States. We see these challenges daily at Chaffey College, with students often making the impossible choice between paying for rent, groceries or their college tuition.

But as the country begins to emerge from the pandemic, we have strived to do so with equity in mind. As a Hispanic-Serving Institution with 64 percent of our students identifying as Latino, we consider it a moral imperative to make sure we support all of our students – particularly those from underserved populations.

And we are not alone in this matter. Governor Gavin Newsom formed a group in 2020 called the “Recovery with Equity Taskforce.” That group made recommendations that included:

• Fostering Inclusive Institutions by improving employee diversity and cultivating inclusive learning environments

• Facilitating Student Transitions with high-tech, high-touch advising

•  Streamlining Pathways to Degrees by unifying the college admission process

•  Simplifying Support for Student Stability to better support basic, digital and financial aid needs

Our leaders at the Chancellor’s Office in Sacramento are on the same page, saying our colleges need to change systems and structures to serve students with equity.

How have we achieved this goal?

We have done so through our ongoing work with Assembly Bill 705, which strives to:

•  boost the number of students taking transfer-level English and math in one year

•  decrease the number of students inappropriately placed in remedial courses; and

•  increase the number of English as a Second Language students taking transfer-level English in a year

We have achieved these goals with great success.

We saw a 250 percent increase in first-time students successfully completing transfer-level math and English in their first year in 2020-2021, in comparison to the 2017-18 academic year. Many of our Latino students are among these success stories.

We have also led the way in equity by joining the California Virtual Campus – Online Education Initiative. Students from across the state can now take online classes offered by Chaffey, and our own students may register for online classes at other participating community colleges. They only need to fill out one college application to do so.

This is a win-win for community colleges across California. We are all trying to bounce back from lost enrollments due to the pandemic and this will be a huge help toward getting back those students. But more importantly, it gives our students – many of whom are balancing their academic time with multiple jobs, as well as caring for children and other loved ones – better access to the courses they need to move on to the next chapter of their academic journeys.

Another important piece of our equity work lies with the 10-Point Plan that we launched in March 2021. Our goal is to improve equity and diversity in hiring, training, curriculum and campus climate. This initiative began in response to national declines in community college enrollment among students of color since the start of the pandemic, ongoing social unrest throughout the country and the effects of both at Chaffey College. Recruiting and retaining diverse faculty and staff will be a key piece in our enrollment strategy because students have made it clear that representation matters to them.

Our Panther Care Program, which supports students with food and housing insecurities, has played a crucial role in keeping our students on the path toward success by providing a safety net.

We are in the business of academics, but learning cannot happen if a student is stressed out about paying rent or showing up to class with an empty stomach. With the help of Panther Care, as well as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), we have been able to give our students support in many ways. This support includes grants that have helped them buy books, cover everyday expenses, and borrow Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots.

Since March 2020, we have loaned over 3,400 Chromebooks and more than 1,000 hotspots. Our Panther Care Program has distributed more than 102,000 pounds of food to our students in that time. More than 4,600 students have picked up food from our pantry events during the pandemic. And we also had fresh fruits and vegetables delivered to over 500 students.

Through September 2021, we had spent or allocated $26 million in HEERF funds to support our students through these trying times.

We are proud of the work we have done so far and it is an honor to be recognized for it.

In November, the Campaign for College Opportunity named Chaffey College a 2021 Equity Champion of Higher Education. We ranked No. 3 in our region for awarding associate degrees for transfer to Latino students.

Additionally, Hispanic Outlook on Higher Education named Chaffey College the No. 4 community college granting associate’s degrees to Latinx students.

And in June, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott awarded us $25 million to continue our work in equity.

When we finally emerge from this pandemic, I am confident that we as a college community will stand proud of the work we’ve accomplished and be energized to continue on the path forward. 

Author Bio: Dr. Henry D. Shannon has served as a higher education leader for more than four decades, including 15 years at Chaffey College. Under his leadership, Chaffey College was named a Top-10 community college in the nation by the Aspen Institute in 2017.